Denmark Rejects New Sea-Incident Pact with Russia, Citing Intelligence Risks

Denmark has decided against signing a bilateral incident-at-sea (INCSEA) agreement with Russia, a move that separates it from 12 NATO allies that have already concluded similar pacts, among them Norway, which has maintained a treaty since 1990. Defence minister Jeppe Bruus told Danish TV that a new accord would be futile, pointing to Russia’s ongoing violations of international norms and a recent episode in which a Russian warship launched signal flares toward a Danish military helicopter operating in international waters.

The flare could have hit the aircraft, raising fears of escalation, and the Russian ambassador was summoned by the prime minister. Torben Ørting Jørgensen, chair of the Folk og Sikkerhed organization and a retired counter admiral, argued that Denmark’s location near the Baltic Sea strait makes additional agreements unnecessary and could increase confrontation risk. Norway’s defence forces, however, view their long-standing treaty as a confidence-building measure that provides a direct contact channel regardless of broader security tensions.